Piling on Apple for issues with new iPhone maps

Your article’s criticism of Apple’s new iOS map software when being used in Denver is correct, as far as it goes, but misleads the reader into thinking that the strange results are unique.

Yes, on the new iPhone maps, if you zoom out to show the entire Denver metropolitan area and search for “airport,” the location pin that gets named is for the old Stapleton airport. But every airport in the area gets a pin, including DIA.

Meanwhile, on an original iPhone drawing data from the venerable Google maps, it’s Centennial airport that gets the named pin, and DIA gets no pin at all! In addition, if I search for the airport code “DEN” on the new phone, I get zoomed right to DIA, while the old Google version takes me directly to … Cisco’s Den in Aurora. A search for “Denver International Airport” again goes right to DIA on the new phone, while the old software still doesn’t find DIA directly. Sadly, a search for “DIA” doesn’t get one to DIA on either phone, but instead a bunch of businesses in the vicinity of the airport.

Apple clearly hasn’t hit a home run with its new maps app, but The Post’s coverage clearly could be more objective rather than taking the easy route and piling on.

Jack Sheinbaum, Aurora

This letter was published in the Oct. 3 edition.

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Mr. Sheinbaum, thank you for your analysis.
We all want technology to be “My phone’s voice recognition software (called Siri, apparently, on newer Apple phones) can tell me where the best Kansas City-style BBQ joint is in Azerbaijan!” But, since software is written by fallible human beings, and can contain millions of lines of code, there will be errors.
My wife and I use Sprint. Their GPS software has led us into the deep darkest interiors of a Stapleton-area warehouse district when looking for a tea shop, and in Atlanta, it led us to an alley at the rear of the house we wanted to go to.
Two ancient (ca. 1970s) computer sayings to keep in mind:
Garbage in, garbage out (results are only as good as the entry data).
And,
To err is human. To real foul things up takes a computer.

Anonymous

I’m just mad that Siri couldn’t tell me what the meaning of life is.

Anonymous

Did you know people have sued Apple because the Siri voice recognition system doesn’t perform exactly as it does in the commercials?

Anonymous

Sigh-No I didn’t but very sadly I’m not surprised.

Anonymous

Second bite of the apple (pun intended):
Have you heard of the Turing test? Named after Alan Turing, the father of modern computing.
I’m updating the technology. His scenario used teletypes, which no one born after 1970 has probably ever heard of.
A person sits in front of a computer monitor or cell phone. She can text or IM or talk to two different sources at the other end. One is a human being. The other is an advanced computer. She can carry on any conservation she pleases on any topic. If, after a reasonable length of time, she can’t tell which source is the human being, and which source is the computer, then the computer can be said to be intelligent.
Apple’s commercials almost suggest Siri is up to the challenge.

Anonymous

Garmin rocks Apple Fan Boy

TomFromTheNews

The problems will probably be fixed with a software update in the near future. No worries.

Anonymous

I’ve used the iOS6 maps just twice, the first time for fun to see if it gave good directions for driving home from the office (it did) and then to double check the location of a golf course I played the next day (perfecto). It wasn’t until I heard of the problems that I searched simply for “Denver airport” and it showed me Stapleton. Of course, I know where Denver International is and don’t need directions, so I may never would have discovered the issue otherwise.

Of course, everyone else knows the “best” one. And as long as this one’s free (I’m still on the 4S), why sweat it until it becomes a problem?

RP

Who cares?
I wonder why this deserved space in the letters section. Isn’t the anything else going on? Is the post pandering to apple fan boys?

Enjoy your toy. Maybe lift your head from it from time to time.
Strange how adults buy toys like this to avoid being bored or interacting with people.

Anonymous

Or maybe they’re just busy, you know, doing their jobs. Mine entails communication with people who aren’t with me. Some I call, some I text, some I e-mail. Also with my wife and kids, one of which lives 80 miles away.

But why spoil a good rant with someone else’s viewpoint?

Anonymous

I have relatives in CA and OH. They have this amazing device that allows me to talk to them as though I were right there! 😎
**********It never fails to amaze me how people read something, and then feel compelled to say such-and-such is a topic not worth mentioning or writing about.
If that’s the case …
Why read, mention, or write about it?
One quick scan of the letter title would have told RP everything he didn’t need to know, and thus could avoid.

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To reach the Denver Post editorial page by phone: 303-954-1331

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